Ashes nightmare finally ends for England

By
Michael Carayannis, Sydney

England's shambolic Test tour is officially over after it slumped to a low.

England's shambolic Test tour is officially over after it slumped to a low - out for 166 - in a horrific batting performance that has been repeated over the course of the five-match series.

Again, rookie Ben Stokes provided some fight for the tourists, belting 32 off 16 balls, including punishing Nathan Lyon for 20 runs in an over.

But that's where any joy ended for England as it failed to reach 200 in either innings.

Opener Michael Carberry (43) failed to capitalise on another good start and his dismissal, two balls after the tea break to Mitchell Johnson, sparked another batting collapse.

Carberry, whose bat broke in half following a delivery from Ryan Harris, was out at 4-87 before England lost Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow and Scott Borthwick to be 7-95, with Lyon picking up two scalps.

Stuart Broad made 42 before being bowled by Harris before skipper Michael Clarke nabbed the final catch at slip to complete the series romp.

A day after leaving a ball to be trapped leg before wicket, England captain Alastair Cook matched his first innings score of seven to be caught behind by Brad Haddin off the bowling of Johnson.

Ian Bell, at No. 3, tried to up the tempo, having been restricted to just two runs from 32 balls in the first innings.

While his aggression carried him quickly to 16, he lasted only 19 balls, falling to Harris with England at 2-37.

The woes for England began on the morning of day three with Chris Rogers and George Bailey making a strong start.

Australia held a 447-run lead after being bowled out for 276.

Australia lost 3-22 after lunch with centurion Rogers, Harris and Peter Siddle falling.

Rogers recorded centuries in back-to-back Tests. The patient left-hander looked at total ease against a battered English attack as he scored his third Test match century to finish with his highest Test score of 119 before spooning a catch back to Borthwick off the leg-spinner's own bowling.

Harris (13 off 10 balls) and Siddle (four) fell chasing quick runs, leaving Lyon six not out - meaning the Australian No. 11 was not dismissed in any of his five innings' this summer.

Borthwick (3-33) took the most wickets, with James Anderson, Broad and Stokes taking two each.

Rogers resumed the third day on 73 with Bailey. The pair was rarely troubled, taking their partnership to 109 before Bailey fell, in what is shaping as the Tasmania's final Test innings.

He was out for 46, caught at deep square leg by Borthwick after pulling a short ball from Broad.

Bailey's position in the Australian team to tour South Africa in February is uncertain after he failed to make any real mark on the series since making his debut in the first Test in Brisbane.

By contrast, Rogers is now a certain starter to take on the world's No. 1 Test side as he reached his century from 143 balls.

After failing in the first Test, Rogers scored half-centuries in the second and third Tests before hitting 116 in front of his home crowd at the MCG to cement himself at the top of the order.

After Bailey's dismissal, Rogers was joined at the crease by the in-form Haddin who looked to take on the English attack.

Haddin, who passed 3000 Test runs, was bowled by Borthwick for 28 as he aimed for back-to-back boundaries.

Johnson's stay was short-lived, making four off three balls before being bowled by Stokes.